A Malfoy's Secret
by Laura Neil
Summary: During their sixth year at Hogwarts, Draco and Harry have their fair share of altercations. But, when it comes down to it, do they really hate each other? Or does Draco have a secret that would change their relationship forever? And who will find love this year?
1. A Revelation

Anger flashed in Draco Malfoy's eyes as the raven-haired prat in front of him disarmed the blonde. He sneered at the boy, then smiled. Today would be the day Draco would finally have his revenge on Harry bloody Potter. He could feel it all the way down to his bones. The prat would not get away from him this time. Bending down to pick up his wand, he began to speak.

"Potty, don't you have any better spells than Expelliarmus? _Petrificus Totalus!_" the Slytherin yelled.

He watched, a bright smile spreading across his sharp features, as Harry fell to the ground, temporarily paralyzed. Luckily, for the Gryffindor prat, a large patch of clover cushioned his fall. Draco and his two goons, Crabbe and Goyle, sauntered off toward the Great Hall and away from the sixth year boy. A loud gasp was heard from across the courtyard as Hermione caught sight of her best friend. Untangling herself from Ron, she raced toward Harry and slipped her wand from her worn brown-leather boot. She called out the counter-curse and watched as Harry came to. He blinked up at her, unsure of what he was doing on the ground. He smiled at her as Ron pulled him to a standing position.

"Harry, what happened? What were you and the ferret fighting about this time?" she demanded.

"Well... you see, it wasn't his fault this time. He tried to ask about the D.A.D.A. homework and I snapped at him. I didn't sleep last night because I kept thinking about the Dementor's attack on me and Dudley in Surrey," he said, casting down his eyes.

Hermione sighed before she replied."Harry, it wasn't your fault. The Dementors shouldn't have been there. You didn't know it would happen."

"Yeah, mate. You couldn't have done anything else besides your Patronus. And that Dursley shouldn't have been taunting you," Ron said, hatred passing through his blue eyes.

Harry smiled and put his arm around his best mate's shoulder. Hermione stood on the other side of the raven-haired boy and they headed toward the Great Hall for breakfast. Harry and Ron were stuffing their faces and Hermione was snorting at their lack of table manners when a dark grey owl with white-tipped wings dropped an envelope in front of Harry. He looked down curiously as he picked up the ivory envelope. It was far too elegant to be from Sirius, or even the Weasleys. Harry broke the violet wax seal on the envelope and pulled the piece of stationery from it. Written on the paper was a note that left him even more curious than before he opened the letter.

Dear Harry,

I witnessed your little scuffle with Mr. Malfoy this morning. I would like to request

your presence in my offices after classes let out this evening. We have something important

to discuss regarding the war. I do hope you enjoy your day and the gift in the pocket of your robes.

Albus Dumbledore

Harry looked up at the staff table and saw Dumbledore watching him closely, a mischievous glint in his light-blue eyes. _Oh no,_ he thought to himself,_ that can't be good_. Then, to his great misfortune, his gaze traveled to the Slytherin table where he was met with stormy grey eyes. Draco Malfoy was watching him, a calculating look turning stormy grey into a hurricane. Harry looked away, a confusing emotion flashing in his emerald-green eyes. Hermione gave him a strange look before turning back to her blueberry oatmeal and toast with boysenberry jam. Harry ate his bacon and scrambled eggs quickly before saying goodbye to his friends and heading back to Gryffindor Tower to sort through the emotions swimming in his chest. Sitting down on his bed, he groaned in frustration. Why did it have to be Draco bloody Malfoy? Why couldn't it have been Ginny? She was a lovely girl and he didn't want to break her heart. He just couldn't love her the way everyone expected him to. Harry had known his entire life that he was different in the romance department. When all the boys in Surrey were beginning to have feelings for the girls in school, he had feelings for the boys. And lately, it wasn't just any boy that held his attention, but a certain platinum-blonde, pale-skinned Slytherin. He wasn't just irritable due to a lack of sleep; he had to hide his feelings for the boy in order to protect both of them. Just as a tear trailed down his right cheek, in walked Dean and Seamus. They took one look at the distraught Harry and their smiles dropped from their faces. Dean raced over and gave Harry a hug while Seamus locked the door to the room the three boys shared with Ron and Neville. Harry cried on Dean's shoulder for a little while before his sobs turned into little hiccups. The dark-skinned boy gripped Harry's shoulder and turned the raven-haired boy to look at him.

"Harry, what's wrong mate? Why are you up here crying?" Dean asked in a soothing tone.

"D-Dean, I c-can't tell you. You two can't help me with this," Harry choked out, bursting into sobs once again.

Seamus smiled sadly at Harry before walking straight up to Dean, pulling him to a standing position and planting a passionate kiss onto his dark lips. Dean looked shocked before returning the kiss and bringing his hands up to the Irish boy's face. They stood locked in the desire behind that kiss before Seamus broke away, beaming at a surprised Harry. He wrapped an arm around Dean's waist and sat them both down on Harry's bed.

"H-how did you know? Did I make it too obvious?" Harry asked, looking incredibly nervous.

"Oh, no Harry! It was just obvious to us because we knew the signs. See, Harry? We can help you through this," Seamus said, extending his other hand to take in Harry's.

"Thanks guys. You really are a life-saver. I thought I was going to go insane keeping it a secret," Harry said, smiling at the couple in front of him.

A knock on the door startled the three boys and they all drew back, afraid to reveal their secret. Ron's voice carried through the door asking Harry to bring him his bookbag and his wand. Harry chuckled at the forgetfulness of his best friend and gave the other two boys a quick hug before unlocking the door and taking off to his Charms class.

The rest of the day went by uneventfully with Harry almost botching another potion, but saving it at the last second possible. But as Care of Magical Creatures was coming to an end, he began to get really nervous. Why did Dumbledore want to see him? It was then that he remembered the bit about the gift. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a small green box, the exact shade of his eyes. He pulled the small silver ribbon and opened the lid. Inside was a small silver dragon ring with a ruby for an eye. Harry gasped and almost dropped the small slip of paper that was contained with the ring in the box. Written in looped, elegant handwriting was a note that left Harry's heart pounding in his ears.

Potter,

Dumbledore saw our little 'scuffle' this morning. Seems like we will be spending a lot of our evenings

in detention with McGonagall. I for one am looking forward to seeing you without the pressure of our

house rivalries forcing us to hate each other. Father might practically disown me if he ever finds out, but

I'm willing to risk it if it means we can be friends. I do hope you enjoy your ring as I had it made specifically

for you, out of a ring my grandmother gave me. Of course, instead of an emerald, I had a ruby put in.

Yours Truly,

Draco Malfoy

Looking over to where the blonde was currently standing, he saw that Draco was watching him open his gift. With a small smile, he slipped the ring onto his left index finger and watched as it magically transformed to the size of his finger. His smile grew brighter as he looked over to Draco again. A warm smile spread across the Slytherin's face as he caught sight of the ring on Harry's finger. When Crabbe looked at Draco with a questioning look, he shrugged and turned to pack his bookbag. Then, it seemed to click in Harry's mind that he had a meeting with Dumbledore when class was over. Hagrid dismissed them and Harry walked briskly toward the castle. Hermione and Ron called after him, but he was curious as to what Dumbledore wanted. The old man was as mysterious as ever with that note. When Harry made it to the statues that guarded the entrance to the Headmaster's offices, he watched as the spiral staircase appeared. Knocking on the door, he heard the Headmaster bid him entrance.

"Harry, you look well today. Now, about that note," Dumbledore started, before a knock on the door interrupted him. "Yes, come in," he called to the person.

Harry looked shocked to see a certain tall blonde walk through the door. His breath caught in his throat as Draco took the seat next to him and smiled at him.

"Ah, Mr. Malfoy, good to see you got my note as well. Now I would like to speak with both of you. I need you two to stop the bickering and fighting from here on out," said the old man.

"Yes, Dumbledore. I completely understand. I just have one question, do we get detention for our fight?" asked Draco.

The old man smiled before nodding and handing them both a slip of paper. Written on it was two weeks' detention. Harry was about to complain, but Draco put his hand on his shoulder, effectively stopping all rational thought. Draco stood to head to the lake for free time before dinner, holding out his hand to help Harry stand. They were walking together and talking about their upcoming friendship. Harry was happy they'd be friends, but he wished they could be more. As they neared the lake, he stood shocked as Draco began to remove his shoes and socks, then rolled up the bottom of his pants. He walked to the edge of the water, then continued until his feet were covered with the cool water. He smiled at Harry and motioned for him to join. Harry hurried to remove his own shoes then joined the blonde in the water. They walked in silence for a few minutes before Draco stopped, turned to Harry, and smiled.

"What? What are you so happy about?" Harry asked, returning his smile.

"Oh, I'm just happy we're friends now. I've hated having to pretend to despise you for the sake of my father. That and with detention, I can get away from Crabbe and Goyle for a little bit," he answered.

"Oh. Uh- look Draco, I have to tell you something, but I don't wanna ruin our new friendship," Harry declared.

"Let me go first. I have to get this off my chest. I've been watching you all year and have noticed something. I have feelings for you. I mean romantic feelings," Draco said, a slight flush rising to his pale cheeks.

Harry looked at Draco, mouth agape in shock. He could feel his cheeks burning as he stared at the blonde. Draco looked sad as Harry didn't respond to him. He began to walk back to the beach, but the raven-haired boy stopped him.

"Draco, don't go. I've been wanting to tell you the exact same thing. I've known all year I had feelings for you instead of Ginny," said Harry, reaching for Draco's hand.

Draco smiled, but didn't say anything. Instead, he took a step closer and closed his eyes, leaning toward the emerald-eyed teen. Harry's eyes closed as well as he leaned up to meet Draco's lips. Within a few seconds, the blonde Slytherin's tongue darted out, asking entrance. Harry obliged, opening his mouth to Draco as his own tongue met with the Malfoy heir's. After a few minutes, they both pulled away, gasping for breath. When they were no longer wheezing, Draco held out his hand and Harry took it. They stopped to gather their shoes and socks before walking back to the Great Hall, hand-in-hand.


	2. A Shock of a Lifetime

**Disclaimer:**I do not own the story of Harry Potter nor any of the characters. Copyright infringement is not intended.

**Author's Note: **So sorry for the wait guys! To make it up to you, I uploaded two new chapters!Feel free to review! I need motivation and you guys can help me by writing reviews. Constructive criticism is accepted and I will do my best!

Once inside the castle, Draco stopped and gave Harry a sad smile. The blonde let go of his hand and pulled Harry toward him. Enveloping him in a warm hug, Draco sighed.

"Harry, I hate to say this, but we have to keep _us_ a secret for now. We would become the laughingstock of the Wizarding World, and the Dark Lord might even kill me," Draco said, grey eyes sadly gazing into emerald orbs.

"Draco, as long as we can still be together, I don't care. Bloody hell, we could even still pretend to detest each other when in public," Harry said, stepping back from the hug.

The raven-haired teen smiled and walked through the doors to the Great Hall, headed toward the Gryffindor table. A few minutes later, Draco stalked through the door, plopping down between Blaise and Pansy. Harry smiled to himself before burying his face in his roast beef. Hermione gave him a strange look before turning back to her own dinners. Ron stared disbelievingly at Harry as he had seen the emerald-eyed boy's smile as he watched Draco. He didn't want to believe that it meant what he thought it did. Then, Harry felt the eyes on his face and looked up to meet the red-haired boy's gaze. Ron flushed and looked away, seemingly interested in what Hermione was saying about cleanliness in the library. Dumbledore then stood to make the nightly announcements.

"Students and staff, I only have one announcement for you tonight. Those with the permission slips signed will be allowed to go to Hogsmeade this weekend," he said, before taking his place at the staff table again.

Harry smiled to himself at the thought of a nice, warm butterbeer and the routine stops at Honeyduke's and Zonko's. When he turned to Ron and Hermione to plan out their trip, he didn't notice the grey eyes staring at him calculatingly. Draco was determined to have some alone time with Harry this weekend. Even if they had to meet at the Shrieking Shack, he would see his raven-haired hero. As dinner let out and everybody began to leave the hall, Draco bumped into Harry, slipping a bit of parchment into the pocket of the Gryffindor's robes.

Later, up in the boys' dormitory in Gryffindor tower, Harry was dressing for the night when the note slipped from his pocket. He smiled and picked up the piece of parchment, noticing the elegant, looped handwriting that could only have belonged to his platinum-haired Slytherin. Opening the note, he stifled a giggle at the wording.

My Raven Beauty,

Your Slytherin Prince requests your presence at the Shrieking Shack this Saturday. I will

be waiting like a Knight in Shining Armor for you to arrive at noon sharp. If you do not show,

my entire being will be wounded and I will surely be one upset boyfriend. So please, do show.

Forever Yours,

Your Prince in Shining Armor

Harry's heart skipped a beat at the word 'boyfriend' and a dark blush creeped up his neck to his cheeks and ears. Ron was murmuring someone's name in his sleep, so his best friend decided to get up and see whose it was. When he heard the name, he stood frozen in shock. It was his name, his best friend was murmuring Harry's name. What would Ron be dreaming about that involved him? Harry decided to just ask him about it tomorrow in Potions. He went to bed and dreamt of a love story between a magnificent lion and serpent. He didn't even know he was smiling in his sleep until Ron woke him up the next morning asking what he was so happy about.

"Oh, nothing. Just had a pretty good dream," Harry said, hiding a smile with a yawn.

"Alright mate. Well you better get dressed and head down to the Great Hall. I heard there's extra bacon," Ron said, laughing.

Harry threw on his clothes and robe before racing down the steps to the Great Hall. Hermione and Ron were already there and Harry had to hide his giggle. Ron looked like he'd gone mental, zoning out on the side of Hermione's face, while she was nose deep in her Potions textbook. Harry gently elbowed his best friend, effectively waking him. Ron flushed and scarfed down his scrambled eggs and bacon. The green-eyed boy's gaze drifted over to the Slytherin table and was rewarded with a small smile from a certain grey-eyed blonde. He quickly looked away before anyone could see the emotion in his eyes. Half an hour later, the Golden Trio was in Potions with Slytherin. For whatever reason, Professor Slughorn had decided to partner a Gryffindor with a Slytherin. Lo and behold, Harry and Draco had been put together. They tried their hardest to hide their smiles, and did a pretty bang-up job. They even managed a few quips at each other without giggling. At the end of the period, their potion was actually proficient. They patted themselves on the back and headed off to their next class. At lunch, Harry ate his food in a hurry and motioned for Draco to follow him in a few minutes. Draco scarfed down the rest of his food and excused himself from his friends. He didn't know where to go, but then he heard someone calling his name at the end of a deserted hallway. When he passed a deep alcove in the wall, golden hands shot out and pulled him in. Warm, soft lips met his and he melted into the touch. After a moment, Draco pulled away, gazing up into the emerald eyes of his boyfriend.

"I couldn't stay away from you anymore. I needed to see you like this," Harry said, voice husky.

"Harry, I couldn't either. I must be absolutely barmy with happiness because I almost divulged our secret by kissing you in Potions when we aced," Draco said, running his hands through Harry's surprisingly soft locks.

The Gryffindor smiled as he imagined the looks of disbelief on everyone's faces if that had actually occurred. Ron would have fainted if it had. They both sighed with contentment as they sank to the floor in each other's arms. Luckily they both had a free period next, so they could spend some time together. Reaching into his bag, Harry pulled out his invisibility cloak and wrapped it around his shoulders and held out his hand to help Draco up. Draping it around both of them, he used the Marauders' Map to find the quickest way to the lake from their hiding spot. When they got to the water, he dropped the cloak and began to strip off his clothes, leaving only his boxers. Draco flushed but followed suit, joining Harry in the cool water. They swam a few feet away from the shore to where they could still stand on the sandy bottom of the lake, then Harry wrapped his arms around the blonde's waist. Their lips touched in a chaste kiss before Harry opened his mouth to deepen it. When they were both out of breath, they pulled away, leaving only their foreheads touching. The love that flowed between the two was tangible, and Harry's heart was singing. Draco was biting his bottom lip, which made chills run down Harry's spine.

"What's the matter Dray?" he asked, running his fingers through platinum tresses.

"Oh, I'm just in disbelief that we are actually a _we_. It seems like we should still be fighting and hexing each other," Draco said.

"That reminds me. My head still hurts from hitting the ground yesterday, mister," Harry said, trying to glare at his boyfriend but failing miserably.

Draco winced at the words before answering, "Yeah... uh, I'm sorry about that." With those words, he bothered his lip even more, tasting the metallic tang of blood.

Harry couldn't stay mad at the face that had haunted his dreams. He leaned over and kissed Draco, tasting the blood that was slowly seeping from the bites. They broke apart, noticing that it was about time to head back to the castle. They embraced tightly, sharing one last kiss before walking back to the shore to put on their clothes. Harry draped the cloak around himself while letting Draco stay visible. He made his way to Gryffindor tower, stopping in a small hallway to remove the cloak. He had made the mistake of forgetting once and nearly scared the Fat Lady to death. He gave the woman in the portrait the password and strode through to the dorms. Grabbing the textbook for his next class, he tucked it into his bookbag. Hermione and Ron met him in the Common Room and they made their way to class. After class, in the few minutes before dinner, Harry made his way to the boys' lavatory closest to the Great Hall. Little did he know, a certain Gryffindor had followed him and locked the door. When Harry came out of the stall, his best friend confronted him.

"Harry, what in the bloody hell is going on between you and Draco?" he yelled.

"I-uh, I can't tell you. It's our secret and it's none of your blooming business!" Harry yelled back.

Ron looked hurt before he leaned in and pressed his lips firmly to Harry's. The raven-haired boy jumped back, utter shock plain on his face. The youngest male Weasley clicked his tongue and shook his head at the Golden Boy.

"You see, Harry, it is my business. I've been in love with you since second year," he said before sadly smiling and walking out, leaving Harry frozen to his place.


	3. A Weasley's First Kiss

After dinner, when Harry could think correctly again, he left the bathroom and made his way back up to Gryffindor Tower. He walked straight by Hermione and Ron, not even stopping when she questioned the confused look on his face. He went up to the boys' dorm and flung himself onto his bed, wanting to go to sleep and forget the night's events. When Ron came up to bed, Harry could feel the redhead watching him, but he didn't acknowledge his best friend. Instead, he rolled over until he was looking at Seamus's bed. The Irish boy was cuddling with Dean, not even caring if everyone knew they were a couple. Harry was happy for them; he understood how hard it was to hide a relationship. After a few minutes, Harry drifted off into a restless sleep, dreaming of a beautiful date with Draco until it was interrupted by Ron kissing him. In the morning, he was the first one awake, so he got dressed then walked down to the courtyard. Once there, he saw a handsome alabaster-skinned boy looking at the sunrise. Harry walked over to his boyfriend and laid down beside him. Draco took the raven-haired boy's hand and cuddled up to his side. He breathed in Harry's musky scent, which today had a hint of cream and honey. Without even thinking about it, Draco kissed Harry's neck, but pulled back when he tensed.

"What's wrong, babe?" Draco asked, voice dripping with concern.

"Erm... Ron kissed me," replied Harry.

Draco's face dropped as he stared at his boyfriend. His heart leapt to his throat and he felt like he had swallowed hot coals. He started to get up, but Harry pulled him back to him.

"Dray, it didn't mean anything. He followed me to the bathroom and demanded I tell him what was going on between us. I told him it was none of his business, he kissed me, then told me it was his business because he had loved me since second year," Harry said, holding on tightly to his boyfriend.

"Look, Harry, if you say it didn't mean anything I believe you. But he needs to know that he can't have you," Draco said, returning Harry's tight hug.

Harry sighed and kissed Draco's neck. When the blonde opened his mouth to deepen the kiss, Harry complied. They explored each other's mouths before Draco began to lay down. Looking at Draco, Harry seemed to ask with his eyes if he could follow. Draco nodded before pulling him down on top of him. The Slytherin's hands went to Harry's shirt, beginning to unbutton it. When he had the tedious buttons undone, Harry threw off his shirt and began to do the same to Draco. After both of them had been stripped of their shirts, Harry trailed kisses down Draco's collarbone and to his stomach. Then, Draco's hands drifted down to the button of his boyfriend's pants. Before he could do anything though, a surprised gasp came from the right of the boys. Harry's head shot up and he saw Hermione and Ron. The girl looked shocked, while Ron looked hurt and dismayed. He ran back into the castle, but didn't get very far before collapsing in a fit of tears and sobs. Harry raced to his friend and dropped to his knees in front of him.

"Go away Harry! I hate you!" Ron yelled at him.

"Ron, I know you don't mean that. But you have to know, I'm in love with Draco now," Harry said, grabbing Ron's hand.

"Harry, I poured my heart out to you last night! Didn't that mean anything to you?" Ron shouted.

"Of course it did! It might have meant more if you'd told me last year. If you had, we might have had a chance to be together," Harry said, saying the last part so quietly that Ron wasn't sure he had heard him correctly.

"What? You- you liked me last year?" Ron asked, a shocked look on his face.

"Yeah, but you missed your chance. You're still my best friend, mate," Harry said, turning Ron's face to look at him.

The redhead nodded, understanding that he had. Harry brushed away his best friend's tears and leaned up to hug him. A small, sad smile splayed on Ron's lips and he stood up to go back to where Hermione and Draco were waiting. The blonde had replaced his shirt and was now awkwardly trying to explain to Hermione what they had witnessed. When he saw Harry, relief spread across Draco's face as the Gryffindor jumped right in to the explanation. When a look of understanding dawned on Hermione's face, Harry wrapped his arm around his boyfriend's waist and kissed his jaw, seeing as how Draco was at least two inches taller than he.

"Oh, Ron, I'm so sorry! I know how much you loved Harry!" cried Hermione.

"'S'okay Hermione. I can see how much Draco means to our best mate," he replied, giving Harry and Draco a smile.

After Harry had put his shirt back on, the quartet walked back into the castle. It was still too early for breakfast, so the Great Hall was fairly empty. Draco walked in a few minutes after the Golden Trio, so as not to muster suspicion. When they were all seated, a handsome boy walked up and seated himself next to Ron. He had jet-black hair with purple tips and, Ron couldn't tell if they were real or contacts, deep electric-blue eyes. His sun-kissed skin offset his chiseled features. He gave Ron a warm smile then held out his hand.

"Hello, Ron. I'm Xzavier O'Reilly. But you can just call me X," he introduced himself.

"H-hi. How do you know my name?" Ron asked, a slight flush creeping up his cheeks.

"Oh, I'm a Ravenclaw. I know everything. Like how I know that you love to swim down at the lake after a long Quidditch practice," X said, deviously smiling.

The flush deepened in Ron's cheeks, then he realized he was still holding on to the Ravenclaw's hand. Although it seemed to be impossible, Ron's cheeks darkened and he jerked his hand away. Xzavier chuckled and he shook his head. Before heading back to the Ravenclaw table, he winked at Ron. The Golden Trio was left to itself, while Ron seemed overly interested in his breakfast. Hermione giggled and she turned back to her book. After breakfast, the three headed to D.A.D.A class and sat down. When the professor came in, he gave them a pop quiz and Ron groaned. He hadn't done his homework and the quiz pertained to their homework. Luckily, he was a pretty good guesser and managed to pass the quiz. After their morning classes, the trio headed down to lunch. About halfway through his sandwich, Ron felt a pair of eyes on the back of his head. Turning toward Ravenclaw's table, he locked eyes with Xzavier. A deep blush painted the redhead's cheeks and he quickly looked back to his sandwich. Harry shook his head at his best friend, not understanding how Ron couldn't see the blue-eyed Ravenclaw was interested in him

"Ron, you are so clueless sometimes!" Hermione said, voicing Harry's thoughts.

"What? What are you talking about 'Mione?" Ron asked, a seriously confused look on his face.

Hermione giggled as she pointed to Xzavier, who was smiling at Ron. The redhead smiled back then looked to Hermione. Realization dawned on his face and he let out a girly squeal. The trio laughed then finished up their lunch. On their way out of the Great Hall, Xzavier jogged to catch up with Ron. Hermione and Harry kept walking in order to give the two some privacy.

"We'll see you in class Ronald!" Hermione called over her shoulder.

The black-haired Ravenclaw waved at Ron's best friends, then turned to the redhead in front of him. Ron was biting his lip and Xzavier reached out and pulled Ron's lip from his teeth.

"Erm- Ron, would you like to have a butterbeer with me in Hogsmeade this weekend?" asked the Ravenclaw.

"I'd love to!" Ron answered, smiling at Xzavier.

"Alright! Meet me in the courtyard by the oak tree," X said before giving Ron a quick kiss on the cheek.

Ron stood fixed to his spot. His hand went up to the place where X had kissed him. His cheek felt like it was burning from the kiss. A brilliant smile found its way onto his lips and he began the journey to his next class.


	4. A First Date

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the story or character of Harry Potter. The original characters of Xzavier O'Reilly, Lily O'Brien, and James Doherty are the fruit of my crazy imagination.

**Author's Note:** So sorry for the short chapter, but I feel like I moved this one way too quickly. I PROMISE the next one will be longer.

On Saturday, the trio was giddy with excitement for their weekend away. Ron was especially excited for his date with X and was practically bouncing in his seat while waiting in the courtyard. Harry giggled at his best friend, then gasped when a pair of arms came around from behind him and wrapped around his waist.

"Guess who, handsome!" said Draco, breathing into Harry's ear and sending shivers down the Gryffindor's spine.

"Hm... is it my knight in shining green armor?" Harry said, turning around to kiss his boyfriend.

Ron was ecstatic that his best friend was so happy in love. He hoped he would find that with Xzavier. The Ravenclaw had sinfully good looks and was probably just as smart, knowing the reputation of most of the members of his house. He felt like his heart was going to jump out of his throat as he waited by the oak tree after breakfast. When the purple-tipped black hair came into view, his heart raced impossibly faster. He looked amazing in his street clothes, with black skinny jeans, studded belt, a band shirt, and a black fedora with a purple band. Ron guessed his favorite color was purple.

"Um, Ron? Are you in there mate?" X asked.

"Oh, sorry," Ron said, a dark blush rising in his cheeks.

"It's alright. You can admire my fashion sense. But we need to get you a makeover," said X, causing Ron's blush to deepen.

They walked off to the gates and made their way to Hogsmeade. When they got there, they stopped at Honeyduke's. Ron got a bag full of candy while X only purchased a few items, one being a chocolate rose for Ron. The black-haired boy decided to go to the joke shop and bought a few prank items. Then, their final stop was the Three Broomsticks, where they both ordered a warm butterbeer. Ron took his first drink and then looked at X. The other boy laughed and Ron couldn't figure out what was so funny. Then, Xzavier reached out and wiped away some foam that had lodged itself onto Ron's upper lip. He looked up to meet Ron's light blue eyes and he found himself leaning forward. The youngest Weasley male's heart skipped a beat when their lips touched and he looked dreamy when they pulled away.

"Xzavier, what do you think you're doing?" demanded a tall blonde girl with mocha brown eyes.

"Lillian, I told you, we are over and I don't play for your team," he answered.

"You are not gay! Why would you have dated me?" she asked, her voice slightly rising in pitch.

"Lily, I was just doing what both of our fathers wanted. But I've always been gay. You should have known that when I wanted to play more with my tea set than with the other boys in the mud," said X, anger rising in his eyes.

"Xzavier, I will not have you leave me for a man, albeit a famous one," she said, her voice like icy daggers.

"Now hear this Lily, I am not nor will I ever be in love with you," Xzavier retorted, grabbing Ron's hand and walking out the door.

They had made it all the way to the Shrieking Shack when X collapsed into tears. They weren't sad tears, or even happy tears. They were tears of frustration and Ron's heart broke to watch them fall from his eyes.

"X, are you alright?" Ron asked. sitting down and taking his hand.

"Ronald, I am going to be disowned because of her. Our fathers made a pact for us to be married when we came of age. At that time we were only three. Now that we only have two years until we are supposed to be married, my father told me to court her. He doesn't understand that I fancy men," X said, curling up to Ron's shoulder.

"Hey now, it won't be so bad. I know this is terribly taboo, but in the event of your disownment, you could come to live with my family at the Burrow. We have plenty of room and my mum loves having company over," Ron said.

Xzavier looked sadly at Ron and then nodded. He didn't want to be disowned, but he would have Ron. They stood back up then headed out on their way back to the school. X put his hand around the redhead's waist and pulled him closer. After walking for a while, the black-haired boy suddenly turned with a serious look on his face.

"Ron, I need your help with something important. I know a boy that likes Lily and would be a better match for her than I ever could be," the Ravenclaw said.

"Oh, who is it?" Ron asked, curious for the answer and excited to get the blonde away from his electric-blue-eyed Ravenclaw.

"His name is James Doherty. He's in our house and his father owns the most profitable law office in Dublin," answered Xzavier, with a conspiratorial smile.

Ron's face lit up and he grabbed X's hand. They ran together back to Hogwarts and toward the Ravenclaw common room. Fate helped them a little more than usual as James was just stepping out of the portrait hole when they rounded the last corner. Ron ran straight up to the blonde-haired, blue-eyed boy when Xzavier told him who it was.

"James... is... it... true... that you like Lillian O'Brien?" he asked between gasps of breath.

"Wh-what? I don't know what you're talking about," he answered, nervously glancing at Xzavier.

"James, it's alright. Lily and I are over. I'm with Ron now," said the black-haired boy, taking Ron's hand as if to confirm his last statement.

Excitement dawned in the other Irish boy's eyes and his face lit up in a bright smile. He said goodbye to both boys then headed to the Great Hall to find Lily. When he had gone, Xzavier turned to Ron and leaned forward for another kiss. This time, he opened his mouth to deepen the kiss and Ron obliged.

Twenty minutes later found them sitting under the oak tree in the courtyard cuddling and just gazing at each other. Harry and Draco walked by and gave them a thumb's up. The Gryffindor-Slytherin pair walked into the hall and into the nearest alcove. They immediately started snogging and Draco's hands moved to Harry's hips. Before it could get too far again, they pulled away and rested their foreheads together. They had an amazing date in Hogsmeade and they could already feel themselves falling for each other. Harry sighed, then leaned back when Draco curled into his side. The boy-who-lived was truly content with the way his life was going right now. For a moment he let himself forget about the most important thing he was being trained to do.


	5. A Confrontation

**Author's Note: **I thought Hermione could use some love, so I invented another OC with my insane imagination. I also recieved a review that gave me an interesting idea. I mean, I made most of the boys gay, why not make her bisexual. I'm sensing a love triangle in the future...

The next day found Ron and Xzavier eating lunch together in the courtyard under the oak tree. Harry had walked by and joked that it should be renamed "The Weasley-O'Reilly" tree. Ron had blushed and the Ravenclaw had laughed and joked back that maybe it should. The couple shared a kiss before heading to their next classes.

"Harry, I'm serious! He is even more of a gentlemen than you," Ron said when they were back in the Gryffindor common room.

"Of course, Ronald. He certainly is the perfect one for you," Hermione answered back.

The trio laughed then continued working on their homework and some free time before heading off to bed. Seamus and Dean were already in bed by the time Harry and Ron got up to the dorm, but Neville was standing just out the door with a short blonde girl. She was giggling and the mood between them seemed rather flirty, so the two best friends didn't disturb them. The rest of the week was fairly uneventful and they woke up on Saturday morning feeling refreshed and buzzing with excitement.

"Hey, lovebirds, it's time to wake up! It's another Hogsmeade weekend!" Ron shouted as he shook Seamus and Harry jostled Dean.

"Mmm... it's too early guys. We'll meet up later," Seamus answered before rolling back over and pulling the covers over his head.

The two best friends laughed then walked down to the Common Room and met up with Herimione. She looked tired, but the two boys didn't ask. She probably just stayed up too late working on homework. What they didn't know was that she had been up all night sneaking around the castle with a Slytherin.

"'Mione, are you excited for the visit to Hogsmeade?" Ron asked.

"Yes, Ronald. But I have some business to attend to before we do anything," she answered.

Ron turned to her with a questioning look, but decided to just leave it at that. When they had made it to the courtyard, there were three people waiting for them. Draco, Xzavier, and a girl that looked to be about their age. The boys had never seen her before, but Hermione flushed when the girl ran up to her and gave her a hug. Draco looked uneasy with the girl's presence and Harry shot him a questioning look. The blonde answered with a gesture to follow him.

"Harry, I've heard that girl bragging about getting with Hermione. I don't really trust her," he said.

"Dray, she'll be fine. Hermione's always been able to handle herself. Bloody hell, she's even had to have my back during a battle," Harry said, taking Draco's hand and heading back toward their friends.

"Harry, this is Melody Ravenswood. We met in the library on Tuesday when she grabbed the same book I had my hand on," Hermione said with a bright grin on her face.

The green-eyed boy gave Melody a wary look, then grabbed Draco's hand and started walking toward the gates. The other three followed the couple and Hermione kept blushing whenever Melody moved closer to her. Ron was too enamored with Xzavier to even notice that the two girls were just centimeters from each other.

"Melody, would you like to get a butterbeer with me after lunch?" Hermione asked the girl.

"I'd love that! Thanks for asking," she answered with a smile, which made 'Mione's heart soar.

Harry looked back to notice how close their two female friends were. He looked at Melody and wondered why Draco was so wary of her. She had chestnut hair and big brown eyes. Her face was small, but breathtaking. She looked like the child of two supermodels. Being a Slytherin, Harry guessed that she was a pureblood.

"Hey, 'Mione! Draco and I are going to go to that new restaurant for lunch," Harry called to his friend.

The bushy haired girl smiled at him, then turned to Melody. They giggled at each other then resumed walking toward Hogsmeade. Melody reached over and intertwined her fingers with Hermione's, causing the latter to blush profusely. The Slytherin giggled at the other girl, but did not release her grip. Ron turned to see their hands and he nudged Xzavier's shoulder. When the black-haired boy saw the two girls, he chuckled and pulled Ron closer.

"I sense a budding romance. I would sure like to see your best friend be happy like us," he said, nuzzling Ron's ear.

"Me too. Merlin, when you do that it drives me crazy," Ron answered, with a shiver.

X laughed and did it again, only to earn a playful shove from Ron. Harry heard the interaction behind him, then turned around to giggle at his best friend. He sighed, causing Draco to turn and give him a questioning look.

"Don't get me wrong, I seriously love you. But I was just wondering what it would have been like if he had admitted his feelings to me last year," Harry said, nervously glancing at his boyfriend.

"Harry, don't hang on to the past. It'll only haunt you even more," Draco said, circling his arm around the other boy's waist.

As Draco did so, Harry leaned into the embrace. The rest of the trip went by uneventfully and then it was time for the girls' date. Hermione was practically bouncing in her seat waiting for the waiter to come by with the drinks. Melody reached across the table for Hermione's hand. She opened her mouth to say something, but instead looked down at their hands.

"Melody, is everything alright?" Hermione asked.

"Yes. Perfect actually. I just..." she answered, her voice trailing.

"You just what? If you were wondering if I was okay with us being together, I am," Hermione said.

The chestnut-haired girl smiled brightly, leaning in to kiss the Gryffindor on the cheek. She looked like she was about to bounce out of her skin with excitement. Then, just as soon as her excitement had come, it vanished.

"'Mione, I have to tell you something. As a result of our relationship, I am going to be disinherited. But I don't care, because I've had feelings for you for the last few years," Melody said, looking her new girlfriend straight in the eyes.

"Are you even aware the same is going to happen to Draco once his father finds out about him and Harry? Don't worry, Melody. I can take care of you," Hermione answered.

"'Mione, that's very generous of you! I mean we only met on Tuesday," the brunette replied.

Hermione smiled, then leaned over and kissed Melody on the cheek. After, when she was looking back at the girl, she couldn't believe she had even done that. When their drinks finally made it to their table, Hermione took a big gulp of hers. Knowing she'd have foam on her lip, she picked up her napkin and daintily dabbed at it.

Meanwhile, Ron and Xzavier were at Honeyduke's, picking out their favourite sweets. The redhead was drooling over a particularly tasty looking new confection when X came up behind him and wrapped his arms around his waist. Ron squealed and turned to his boyfriend.

"X, don't do that! You scared me half to death," Ron said, hand clasped firmly over his heart.

"Sorry, Ron. It was too perfect an opportunity to pass up," the black-haired boy replied.

He couldn't stay mad at that face for too long, so Ron curled up into Xzavier's arms. They stood there for a few seconds before they heard someone clear their throat behind them.

"Excuse me, Weasley, but I'd rather not see you snogging your boyfriend practically in my face," said a particularly snotty female voice.

"Parkinson, take your little squished up pug face and mind your own bloomin' business," Ron retorted.

"Gladly. But not because you told me to. Because I am rather disgusted with this little display," Pansy explained, before walking out the door.


	6. An Unexpected Blessing

**Author's Note: **I am so sorry for not posting a new chapter in so long. I got a new job, plus I have been trying to find a new place to live. I promise to start updating more often!

Ron was trembling with anger, causing Xzavier to place a calm hand on his cheek. The slight touch sent a shiver through Ron and he instantly relaxed. It was a wonder how just this tiny show of affection could give him such a sense of tranquility. Soft, cornflower blue met intense, electric blue as Ron met the eyes of his sweetheart.

"Xzavier, you have no idea how much I love you," Ron said, covered the black-haired boy's hand with his.

"Ron, I'm pretty sure I do. I love you too," he replied, then was shocked by the realization that this had been the first time they had exchanged those words.

The two boys fell into a wam embrace and sat there for a while before the voice of Ron's female best friend broke their reverie.

"Ronald, I have great news!" she shouted excitedly before grabbing the hand of the chestnut-haired girl beside her.

"Mione, that's not just great news, it's blooming amazing!" Ron answered jumping up to hug her.

Just then, Harry and Draco walked through the door, trying to look inconspicuous. Ron felt horrible for the two, having to hide their love like that. But he knew it was best for the lovers, for if Lucius Malfoy discovered their very unpureblood-like relationship there would be bloodshed. And then, to their horror, who should walk in but the Death Eater himself.

"Draco, I just want you to know that I know of your relationship with Potter," Lucius said, walking very slowly to his look-alike son.

The blonde in question looked terrified as his father placed a firm hand on his shoulder. The whole room seemed to have been covered in a steel blanket as the air became heavy. Not a soul dared move or speak at that moment, waiting for Lucius to say or do something.

"Son, can we speak privately for a moment?" Lucius asked, then thought for a moment. "Oh, Harry, would you accompany us?" Then, he swiftly turned and walked out the door.

The two sixth-years hung their heads and followed the Malfoy patriarch. As they approached the alley where Lucius had disappeared, Draco stopped in his tracks.

"Harry, what if he disowns me? What if he tries to kill me? What if-" Draco said, but was then interrupted by Harry.

"Dray, calm down! It will all be okay," the raven-haired boy said.

"Harry, you don't know my father like I do. He is a conniving, evil bastard," Draco replied.

The Gryffindor resolved to just silently follow his boyfriend, head held high. When they finally reached the Malfoy patriarch, his face was a mask of ice. Then, after a moment, his face melted into a pool of relief. Draco looked at his father, dumbfounded. Harry's jaw hung agape, eyes wide in shock.

"Draco, I am so happy you have finally discovered your feelings for the Golden Boy," Lucius said, further shocking his son.

"Father, I- I um, what?" Draco asked, flustered.

"My dear boy, you and Harry have been dancing around this relationship since your first year. And just in case you were wondering, you have my approval," Lucius said with a wink.

With no notice, Draco flung himself at his father and threw his arms around his neck. The older Malfoy looked stunned for a moment, then wrapped his arms around his son. They stood like that for a while, just enjoying the joy each of them felt. After about five minutes, Harry cleared his throat, hating to ruin this moment. He was sure this was the first time they had ever hugged.

"Uh, Draco, Lucius, I hate to ruin this, whatever it is, but we've got company," Harry said, nodding toward the opening of the alley. Both Malfoy males looked just in time to see a blonde woman in an olive green skirt suit retreating down the next street. Lucius looked absolutely furious as recognition dawned on his face. He peeled off after the woman, leaving the two young wizards to themselves. They stood, transfixed to the spot, before finally taking off after Lucius. When they caught up, Lucius had Rita Skeeter backed against a wall, wand pointed at the reporter's throat.

"Skeeter, you had best forget everything you saw in that alleyway. I swear, if you don't, you will regret ever having messed with the Malfoy family, as well as Mr. Potter here," Lucius spat.

The woman looked absolutely terrified as she nodded her response. One would have sworn that Lucius radiated evil at that moment. Everyone except Harry and Draco. The blonde teen looked at his father in awe. He had seen him look purely evil, but now he realized it was just rage that transformed his face.

"Mr. Malfoy, if you would, I must go quit my job. If I am never going to write this good of a story, I might as well just drop off the face of the journalism world," she said, although Harry was not quite convinced.

"Skeeter, I cannot just let you go like that. You must give me your Irreversible Oath," Lucius said, holding out his arm.

The reporter looked stricken for a moment, then reluctantly gripped the man's forearm, sighing when he cast the spell. Golden strands of magic covered their arms, then disappeared when the spell was over. The woman looked downtrodden as she walked away, head hung low, arms to her sides. The oldest Malfoy exhaled as he watched her go. Then, he turned to his son and Harry, a bright smile upon his face.

"There, now nobody will find out until you two are ready to tell the world," he said.

"Father, thank you. It is so much easier to know that you have given us your blessing," Draco replied.

"Um, Lucius, thanks. I can't imagine the backlash that would have resulted from that story," Harry said, shaking Lucius's hand.

Draco's father smiled, then wrapped an arm around each of the two lovers. They began walking toward a sleek, black carriage, decorated with silver and green "M"s. The footman opened the doors for the three wizards to enter. Once seated in the extremely comfortable carriage, Harry looked at Lucius.

"Excuse me, where are we going?" he asked the older wizard.

"Oh, forgive me, my dear boy. We are going to Malfoy Manor. I mean, you two have taken your exams, and winter break starts in three days. I am going to owl Dumbledore and excuse you two from classes," he stated, as if it was the simplest thing in the world.

But then, horror struck Harry as he realized something. "Wait a second, isn't Malfoy Manor the headquarters of Voldemort?" he asked, his voice quivering.

"Oh my goodness, my boy, no! I mean it was, but then I disgraced the Dark Lord in order to be free of him and live my life the way I want. And so I could live to see you take him down, as well as seeing my only son happy with the one he loves," answered Lucius, giving Harry a warm smile.

"So where did he move his headquarters?" Draco asked, breaking into the conversation.

"A large manor on the outskirts of Surrey. He said it was better suited to his needs," his father answered.

Recognition dawned on Harry's face and he burst out laughing. The two Malfoys looked at Harry, stunned. For a few minutes, the raven-haired boy couldn't refrain from the giggles that were erupting from his mouth. When he could finally breathe better, he brushed the tears from his cheeks and looked at his boyfriend and his father.

"Sorry, but the manor that he moved to is completely pink. And it's permanently that way. No amount of magic has been able to change it. And paint won't work either," Harry said, still giggling.

"Well, that is a bit odd. Why would he choose an entirely pink manor?" Lucius wondered out loud.

They all shrugged their shoulders and slid down in their seats. Harry leaned in to Draco's shoulder, content with the way his life was going at this moment. Lucius smiled at the two boys, happy that his son had found true love, and that he was now free from the shackles of being a Death Eater.

Back at Hogwarts, Dumbledore was replying to Lucius's owl. He was quite giddy with excitement that they now had a powerful pureblood on the side of light. At that moment, Minerva McGonagall walked into his office, a light pink blush dusting her cheeks.

"Forgive me, Albus, but Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy never returned from the Hogsmeade trip. I spoke with his friends and they said the two had gone off with Lucius Malfoy. They waited, but they never came back in time to walk back to the castle," she said, slightly frantic.

"Oh, Minerva, I have completely forgotten to inform you! The boys have gone back to Malfoy Manor. Lucius didn't want Harry to have to go back for holidays," Albus answered.

The other professor looked relieved, then blushed even more as Albus moved closer to her. She couldn't help but think about the kiss they had shared after a night of a little too much Firewhiskey.

"Minnie, you look beautiful in your emerald robes. Although, purple is a much more suited color to your complexion," the headmaster said, causing the blush in her cheeks to darken.

"Oh, Albus, you flatter me so. Would you care to join me in Hogsmeade for a Firewhiskey after all the students have gone?" she asked, not looking at the headmaster in his periwinkle robes.

"Minerva, I thought you'd never ask," he answered leaning over to kiss her on the cheek.

Then, they were interrupted by a deep gasp behind them, turning to see Severus Snape backing out of the room. They followed, catching up to him at the base of the spiral staircase.

"Severus, why are you so upset that I kissed Minerva on the cheek? We have had feelings for each other for a while now," the headmaster said.

"Oh, Albus, that is not why I was upset. I walked in when you were discussing Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy. I knew you two had a thing for each other," Severus replied.

The three professors looked at each other before walking through the entrance and out into the deserted hallways. It was past curfew and they did not expect to see anyone roaming the corridors, let alone cuddled together on one of the hallway benches. When they stepped closer, they realized it was none other than Hermione Granger and Melody Ravenswood.


End file.
